The present disclosure relates to inkjet recording apparatuses.
A certain inkjet recording apparatus includes a wiper blade for cleaning an ink discharge surface of a recording head. The ink discharge surface is a surface where nozzles that discharge ink are disposed. The inkjet recording apparatus moves the wiper blade while pushing the wiper blade against the ink discharge surface, thereby wiping ink attached to the ink discharge surface.
For example, the wiper blade of the inkjet recording apparatus includes a ribbed member on a tip end thereof. As such, even in a configuration in which the ink discharge surface of the inkjet recording apparatus has a recess, responsive movement of the tip end part of the wiper blade in accordance with the shape of the recess can be ensured and wiping performance can be secured.
Incidentally, ink that has been discharged from the recording head increases in viscosity (is thickened) over time due to evaporation of a volatile component contained therein. The thickened ink discharged from the recording head and remaining on the ink discharge surface (hereinafter referred to as residual ink) may be hard to be removed through simple application of physical force by movement of the wiper blade. Thickened ink decreases in viscosity when mixed with non-thickened fresh ink (hereinafter referred to as fresh ink).
In view of the foregoing, a method has been adopted in which wiping is performed once fresh ink is released onto the ink discharge surface in order to cleanly remove residual ink attached to the ink discharge surface. In the above method, the residual ink is mixed with the fresh ink before or during wiping to decrease its viscosity, so that the inkjet recording apparatus can cleanly remove the residual ink.